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Art as a career choice?

77 replies

EachandEveryone · 12/08/2019 17:38

My dn tutors are pushing her to study art further I’ve enclosed a couple of her drawings. She’s really confused as she wants to make money but doesn’t like computers! She’s also study business and law. Has to start applying soon!

Art as a career choice?
Art as a career choice?
OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 13/08/2019 21:51

My cousin did a degree in fine art and then a Masters in painting at the Royal College of Arts. He has had a reasonable amount of success from selling his work to Saatchi to his first solo exhibition in London to appearing at the Barbican and Tate Modern. He's very talented. But, there are many talented artists out there. He has never really made enough money to live on so his parents have subsidised him for years. Now his partner subsidises him (she's also an artist but has a 'day job' in an art gallery) while he is a stay at home Dad and does some freelance illustration work. His illustration work is amazing! But not enough to provide a steady income. He's a lovely person and obviously followed his heart with his career choice. He's very happy but he isn't motivated by money so his life suits him.

But you're saying your DD wants to make money? That doesn't sound compatible with art as a career unless she's one of the very few fortunate people. I'm friends with a number of artists (painters, sculptors, sound artists, mixed media) and for all of them it is more of a sideline rather than their main source of income.

Unless she has some other income, like so many of us your DD will probably need to make a choice between what's good for the soul and what's good for the bank account.

EachandEveryone · 13/08/2019 22:00

I know. Shes looking at art and law together. Its very confusing for her. Its all very London based isnt it? And she doesnt come from money so internships in London wont be happening. Still, its all quite exciting. Lets see what Thursday brings 😄

OP posts:
IndieRar · 13/08/2019 22:00

She should do an art and design foundation year. She'll find her niche and it's mandatory for all the good degree courses. I learnt what I wanted to do on mine and 20 years later still do it.

FYI There's huge demand for medical illustration. She might be suited to that as it's more technical. But still, a lot is computer based graphics these days.

There are lots of opportunities in the creative industries for passionate people who are good at what they do and want to learn.

Cyberworrier · 13/08/2019 22:03

I think she looks like a talented young person! However, I think the important thing if you want to make it in art or any creative industry is drive and commitment.
I agree with pp, she should do a range of a s levels to leave her options. She should do a foundation year, see if she has a true desire to do illustration/fine art whatever, and if she isn’t sure, should save her money and do something else while she makes her mind up.

I’ve known people drop out of art degrees who were very talented (and people graduate from top schools and struggle to scrape a living). It is not a career choice for the money oriented or the faint of heart, you really need to love it for it to be even vaguely worth pursuing.

lastqueenofscotland · 13/08/2019 22:07

My friend did art at university and now works in PR for an art auction company. Money is fairly wank but enough to live off and she loves it

HundredMilesAnHour · 13/08/2019 22:09

I think art and law will be a tough combination. Anything with law will be tough as law is so competitive and requires a LOT of work. And if she ends up working for a law firm (which are incredibly competitive to get into), she will be working some monster hours. Not really compatible with side interests.

Sorry for sounding negative. She just needs to give some serious thought to what combinations will work best for her in the medium term if she wants to do art and something else alongside. With art and law, she could easily end up doing all law and being miserable - or failing horribly at law because she's splitting her time with art.

To be honest, her drawings aren't outstanding so I'd concentrate on finding something she enjoys that will make the money she wants and enjoying her art as a hobby.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 13/08/2019 22:15

I did a design degree and got a really good job that was well paid with a car and a lot of overseas travel. Everyone on my course got a job in design

My niece did the same course 15 years later and also has a job in design.

However, l think there is a difference between an art degree(painting, sculpture, fine art, textiles) and a design degree (graphics, product design, fashion and surface pattern design or animation) It is easier to find jobs in design than fine art.

I retrained as a teacher, and teach A level design (not Art) most of my ex students have jobs related to this specialism. And some of them have amazing jobs. Most of them go into jobs related to this A level.

I’ve also taught Art. Those pictures show a lot of talent and skill

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 13/08/2019 22:17

Also, foundation in Art and Design is not mandatory. Most of my students go straight into degree course, including the top Uk design institutions.

I could name drop who some of my students work with/for!

pontiouspilates · 13/08/2019 22:22

My DB is an artist, it has been his only income source for 18 years and he makes a fair living. It can be done!

Cyberworrier · 13/08/2019 22:24

I agree TheEmoji about Design being more likely to lead to good (and related) jobs. I missed the Law/Art combo degree thing..I’m sorry but what is the point in that?
The Art bit would be no benefit to theLaw side and the law bit really is not an ideal match or contrast with a Fine art. Art plus literature or philosophy makes lots of sense. Art plus languages. Art plus history/art history. Art plus maths. Think beyond the degree, what she wants to do and what will benefit her. I doubt a joint honours degree will make becoming a lawyer easy and I doubt she’d get enough art training/be in a truly good art school environment doing a degree like that to enable progression to top MA programs if she wanted to pursue being an artist.
Why does anyone think law plus art is a good idea?

Cyberworrier · 13/08/2019 22:28

I agree foundation years aren’t mandatory (didn’t do one and did BA at top London art school) but I recommend them to students who aren’t sure. They are a worthwhile year of study to explore for creative people who aren’t dead set on one thing, or even those who know their specialism but need a year to develop and mature.

EachandEveryone · 13/08/2019 22:29

www.christies.edu/london/courses/degree/masters/art-law-business

OP posts:
NancyJoan · 13/08/2019 22:34

A foundation year would give her a better idea of whether she wants to do it. In Wales there are no tuition fees for art foundation, but I'm not sure about elsewhere.

Cyberworrier · 13/08/2019 22:37

I thought your niece couldn’t afford internships in london? Fees are £30k plus for that MA. Not really any point doing art as part of her degree to do that? What appeals about this? Not sure if you know many people in the arts market worlds but most people I have met in it come from money. What does she actually want to do?

Sianlouise432 · 13/08/2019 23:25

I did my degree 4 years ago. Ba (hons) Fine Art. At A level none of my teachers introduced me to different areas of art. I didn't do a foundation degree that would've introduced me to various areas. I got torn apart in my degree for being very technically good but my paintings had "no meaning". Some of my peers got first class degrees for throwing shit at a wall and writing the most convincing bullshit they could. I should have done illustration. I should have done graphic design. I have a degree in bullshitting my way to a 2:1, but not a problem cause I always wanted to teach anyway. I got a PGCE in art and design at college level.. Oh but wait, the FE sector has gone to shit, I hate secondary age teaching and art teachers basically cling on to their jobs for dear life and never move on. Still waiting for my ideal job. In conclusion, if she's a normal person with no contacts or entrepreneurial skills, avoid like the plague.

dontgobaconmyheart · 14/08/2019 01:34

My two pence worth OP is that I think it would be best to put less stock in the wishes and comments of your DD's tutors- what are her grades like otherwise aside from her art? The push could be towards it because they on paper see a better grade success rate for her there. Teachers have statistics to meet also. That aside it needs to be up to her.

I don't think the fact she has artistic leanings and talent is in dispute so much as the fact that so do an awful lot of other individuals. From a personal perspective (I did a careers based art qualification, art a level and degree, and the industry has changed a lot/was changing back then. I know very few peers who make any substantial money from fine art, the most successful of them are those who create digital art, graphic art or animation based stuff. If she is serious about it as a paying career she will realistically need that skill set and full competency in the up to date digital programmes to secure a decent post grad job or internship.

As others have pointed out she will also need strong networking skills, ideally existing connections and absolutely money to fund herself. It's a tight knit industry in my experience and has more talent than salaried jobs.

She could teach art? Or explore the careers relating to it such as museum management or art therapy perhaps (still very hard to get into). There is a lot to be said for killing the passion by making it a career also, she will need a huge portfolio and distinctive style- however well graded an a level piece is, it has no bearing on what will commercially sell unfortunately.

I agree with previous posters who advise her to do other a levels, then do a foundation year if she wants to see if it is for her. I'd encourage her to produce a portfolio unrelated to her school or college assigned topics, develop her style, try to get her to reach out to exhibit locally enter competitions etc in anything going and see how she finds that. It would provide decent perspective as to whether it could work as a career.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 14/08/2019 09:03

Can l just say something about law?

When I’ve covered classes who are having careers advice, the same thing comes up time and time again. Britain has enough lawyers for the next 10 years. It doesn’t need anymore graduates in it.

Can l add something else? The robots are coming. The one thing they won’t be able to is imitate creativity. Just a thought.😊

AwkwardPaws27 · 14/08/2019 09:06

Tattoo artist? My friend's sister did an apprenticeship in this following her fine art degree and now works full-time in a studio. She's very good.

ThelmaDinkley · 14/08/2019 09:20

Reading this with interest as my daughter is in same position. She’s just finished her GCSEs and deciding which a levels to do. Art has always been a first choice and she wants to go down graphic design animation route but she’s also interested in interior design and fashion. Does the foundation course allow you to explore different sectors of art to decide what you really want to do? Apologies for butting in your thread OP. I just find all this very confusing and my daughter is a bit head in the clouds so to speak.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 14/08/2019 09:25

Yes, a foundation course will help her decide.

There are more jobs in animation and fashion then interior design. Very few opportunities for work in interiors other than self employed.

Also, you don’t need lots of contacts. I worked as a designer for years, and made a lot of contacts that way. When l became freelance l used those contacts. Self employment needs to come after a period of working for a company.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 14/08/2019 09:27

Also lots of jobs in graphics and product design. Design is one of the biggest U.K. exports.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/08/2019 09:29

Architecture as a career/degree? Though a lot of computer work in that I guess.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 14/08/2019 09:46

You need A Level Maths and Science for architecture. Also a lot of architecture is about designing civic amenities. There’s not much designing the Shard.

VivaLeBeaver · 14/08/2019 10:01

You need A Level Maths and Science for architecture

Well my dd who got 4 unconditional offers for architecture didn't do maths. I believe only Bristol demand it. The only science she has is biology and again I didn't see any courses she apply to insist on a science.

Hotterthanahotthing · 14/08/2019 10:51

My DD will be doing the Art and Design extended diploma in September.She then wants to go to uni.
She is doing this with eyes wide open but she loves Art.She knows she is unlikely to get a career doing it but has no idea at 16 what she wants to do.
We looked down the A level route but all the colleges around here do fine art A level and seemed quite narrow in curriculum and DD is a lot more experimental.
She has worked hard at GCSE to get good grades(8 days to go)as she is aware that she may need to retrain Inthe future.
I'm supporting her because it is a passion and she needs to see if she carries on developing.